Escape
by Wildfire2345
Summary: Short and sweet. Oneshot. Lily is captured, and all she wants is one last thing . . . to tell him how she really feels.


A.N. – Maybe a little confusing, but I hope you like it anyway!

**Escape**

Lily huddled against the cold stone wall and clutched her knees to her chest in a vain attempt to save some body heat. The barred window above her head was letting in a horrible amount of chilly air, and it was filtering down to her position. Her robe, though it had seemed perfectly warm during that Hogsmeade visit, was useless now in retarding the cold.

She felt a tear trickle down her cheek as memories of happier times flooded her. She could picture James' face perfectly clear in her mind's eye, smiling as he tossed a snowball in her direction and dove to avoid retribution. Both had been so carefree, lost in their own youthful lives, too oblivious to the world around them. In truth, it had never stopped revolving just for them, though she had waited too long to realize it.

_I wonder what he's doing now. _Lily could just see him now, sitting alone in her bedroom and gazing out into the endless snowfall as his own mind drifted to thoughts of her. Would he try to come after her? She sincerely hoped he wouldn't. She did not want him in her situation. She wanted him to live a happy life. She wanted to know she forgave him for his rash decisions and unruly hair and heroic, though sometimes stupid, actions. She wanted him to know that she loved him.

This realization did not scare her as much as she had expected it to. For in truth, Lily had known it for some time and had been simply avoiding the inevitable. And inevitable it proved to be.

What hurt her the most was this: She had never told him. She had never explained to him how she truly felt, for fear that he would not feel the same way. But at the moment, Lily could have cared less whether he returned her feelings. The need to get it out of her system was far too overpowering.

Unfortunately, she knew such an opportunity would never again present itself. She had missed all her chances. Lily would die having never uttered a single word of affection in his direction. It was a hard concept to grasp, but indeed, it too was inevitable.

Lily sighed. Death would come quickly, but not quickly enough.

At the sound of shuffling, Lily stirred from her reverie. Who would be down here, where only those condemned to the most painful version of torture were kept – those who would die staring into the cold eyes of lord Voldemort?

The subject of the sudden commotion came slowly into Lily's line of sight . . . She gasped. No! No, it couldn't be!

"Lily," James Potter breathed, reaching out a hand to caress her face through the bars.

Lily melted into his touch, reveling in the warmth and tender adoration that accompanied it, but drew away. "This is a dream," she muttered despondently. "A dream."

The shadow of his old grin danced on James's lips for a moment. "No, Lils, this is no dream. More like a nightmare, I'd guess, especially from your point of view."

Lily shook her head. "No. No, you aren't supposed to be here! You're putting yourself in danger."

"No he's not," another voice, that too dearly familiar, interrupted. Lily tore her eyes from James's face and onto that of another smiling, black-haired man.

"Sirius!"

"Lily." Sirius inclined his head. Sirius was James's best friend; the two were like brothers and practically inseparable. Throughout their time at Hogwarts, Lily and Sirius had become rather close as well – mainly due to Lily's relationship with James. "God, you look like hell."

"Thanks," said Lily dryly with just a touch of sarcasm. "Being trapped here can do that to a girl. Speaking of that, what the heck do you two think you're doing? You're going to get caught!" 

"We're saving you," said Sirius as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "And James isn't going to get caught because he's got me to back him up."

_That's reassuring, _thought Lily.

"Then hurry up and save me before Bob shows up!" Lily whispered hurriedly.

"Bob?"

"Yes, yes," said Lily impatiently as James fumbled with her shackles through the bars. "He's a Death Eater, and he always wears a mask so I really can't tell you what he looks like. I only call him Bob because I've got no idea what his real name is, but he's due to be bringing me my _lunch_ anytime now."

Sirius looked up in awe. "You get fed here?"

Lily raised her brows. "You don't want to know what they consider food."

"No, I probably don't."

_It's amazing we haven't been caught yet with all the noise we're making._ The restraints dropped harmlessly from Lily's wrists. She rubbed them, relieved.

Everything was quiet. "James?" whispered Lily. "James, there's something I really have to tell you."

"You can tell me once we're out of danger and you're safe back home," said James, pointedly avoiding her eyes as he and Sirius observed the cell. Lily recognized the problem: they did not want to make a lot of noise while breaking down the barricade, but there was really no way around the disquiet that a curse needed to break them down would engender.

"No." Lily's tone was urgent. She had to tell him now, before her time ran out once again. She had felt the horrible pain of being unable to reveal her true feelings, and she would _not_ leave the world without James knowing of her love. "I have to tell you now."

"What is it, Lily?" James's voice was decidedly softer, and Lily could not shake the feeling he was answering only to cater to her.

"I love you."

There. It was out. James froze in mid-movement, mouth hanging agape. Sirius actually blushed – yes, Sirius blushed – and turned away to give them a moment of privacy.

"You – you do?"

Lily nodded firmly. "I do. I just couldn't stand the thought of you not knowing, knowing the circumstances and everything —"

Lily never was able to finish her sentence. Through the bars, James captured her lips with his and pressed against them with delicious passion. Lily returned it with all the hunger she had felt for him the previous months of being jailed. After a moment they broke apart. James stared at her with an idiotic grin, his trademark feature.

"You know, I think I might sort of like you too . . ."

Lily punched him playfully on the shoulder.

"Then again," said James, "I might like you more than a little bit . . ."

The next words that left his mouth were ones Lily had never dreamed she would hear,

"I love you too."

The End! Please Review!


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